Two seconds after I make it through the door, a dark figure pounces on me.

For a split second, panic jacks up my heart rate. Then campfire smoke and amber fill the space around me, and I realize it''s Lucas.

A squeal escapes my lips as he shoves me against the door, his mouth crashing onto mine. The cold from outside vanishes in an instant, replaced by a searing heat that threatens to consume me whole. His lips move with a desperate urgency, stealing my breath and scattering my thoughts.@@@@

For a moment, I lose myself in the passion of our reunion. My fingers tangle in his hair, pulling him closer as if I could meld us into one being. But reality intrudes as I feel the snow melting between us, dampening his skin.

"Lucas," I mutter against his lips, trying to push him away. "I''m covered in snow."

He doesn''t budge an inch. "Don''t care," he growls, capturing my mouth again.

His hands cup my face, thumbs stroking my cheeks as he deepens the kiss. The heat radiating from his palms feels like a furnace against my chilled skin. It''s almost too much, too intense. I wonder briefly if I''m that cold from being outside, or if he''s running hotter than usual.

With a herculean effort, I manage to slip out of his grasp. My breath comes in short pants as I move to take off my jacket and boots. Lucas prowls behind me, his presence almost palpable. There''s something different about him, an edge of agitation that isn''t normal. His movements are more predatory, reminding me of a wolf at hunt.

Concern creeps into my voice as I turn to face him. "Are you okay?"

His golden eyes bore into mine, pupils dilated. The intensity of his gaze sends a shiver down my spine that has nothing to do with the lingering cold. He doesn''t answer immediately, just continues to watch me with that predatory focus.

My body arches into his touch. One of his hands slides under my shirt, calloused fingers skimming across my bare skin. Sparks of pleasure shoot through me, and I can''t help but respond, my own hands exploring the hard planes of his chest. He''s only wearing a pair of jeans, leaving nothing but skin to welcome my touch.

He breaks the kiss, both of us panting for air. Eyes of molten gold are filled with a hunger that makes my knees weak.

My legs wrap around his waist as he lifts me, my hips cuddling against him. He carries me to the bed, never breaking the kiss, and we fall onto the mattress in a tangle of limbs, hands roaming and exploring with frantic urgency.

Clothes are shed hastily, tossed aside without care. His mouth leaves a trail of fire across my skin, driving coherent thought from my mind. All I can focus on is the feel of him, the taste of his skin, the sound of his ragged breathing.

Lucas'' mouth is heaven, but it''s his hands that steal the breath from my lungs. They skate across my thighs, my hips, tracing paths of fire over my skin. Rough fingers twist and pinch at my nipples, hard and aching for his attention. My fingers weave through his hair, nails digging into his scalp as I feel the mattress shift with his movement.

He dives between my legs, spreading them wide as he licks and laps at the very core of me. A whimper escapes me, half moan, half sob.

The warmth of his tongue slides between my folds, the tip slick and hot against my clit. Lazy licks build a pleasure so intense I can barely stand it. My hips buck off the bed, seeking more friction. I want to grind against his face, to shove myself against that wicked mouth. But he holds me down with firm hands on my thighs, his growl vibrating against my sensitive flesh.

"Please," I beg. It comes out half-strangled, the word torn from my throat as he teases my clit with the flat of his tongue.

One of his large hands moves to my breast, thumb rubbing over the aching peak. My back arches off the bed, my hips pressing up into his mouth.

"Lucas," I gasp, my hands fisting in the blankets. My fingers find the edge of the mattress, knuckles turning white as he continues to torment me with slow, languid licks. "Please, Lucas. I need..."

I can''t finish the sentence, but he knows what I need. What I''ve always needed from him. His mouth leaves my pussy, and I whine in protest, hips circling the air as I search for his tongue.